How to opt out of Shared Endorsements

Google's advertising over-share

Posted by Katherine Gorham on Oct 15, 2013 in Blog, Deep Tech | Comments Off on How to opt out of Shared Endorsements

How do you feel about having your mom find out that you gave “Kinky Drinking Games: Spring break edition” a four star review? Or about sharing your positive experience of hemorrhoid ointment with that client you’re trying to impress? What if your strongly pro-life supervisor at work sees your face in an ad for “Everything You Need to Know to Prepare for an Abortion?”

Not keen?

Google recently updated their Terms of Service to include something called Shared Endorsements, which will go live on November 11. If you have a Google Plus account, Shared Endorsements allow Google to use your name, image, and activity on Google sites to advertise to your family and friends.

Google Plus users under eighteen years of age are automatically excluded from Shared Endorsements, but adults need to change their account settings if they don’t want their information used in ads.

If you would like to opt out, here’s how:

1)      Sign in to your Google Plus account

2)      From the “Home” drop-down menu in the top left corner, choose “Settings.”

3)      Check to see if Shared Endorsements are on or off. If they are on, click “Edit.”

 

4)      The Shared Endorsements page is long and the actual opt-out is below the fold. Scroll down. You’re looking for this:

 

 

5)      Make sure the tick box is un-checked, then hit “Save.”

6)      A warning message will pop up; hit “Continue.”

 

 

You’ve opted out.  Go plus-one  “Rabid Zombie Ferret Fanciers” in (relative) privacy.